Groupe Média TFO and RBC launch Ready For Tomorrow program to improve employability of young Canadians

TORONTO, Oct. 21, 2020 /CNW/ - Today Groupe Média TFO is launching the Ready For Tomorrow program to offer young Canadians new opportunities by opening pathways to the jobs of tomorrow. This initiative was created in partnership with RBC Future Launch and includes a collection of IDÉLLO resources in French developed for young people throughout Canada.

This program will help young French-speaking Canadians aged 15?20 prepare for the jobs of tomorrow by providing them with content in French to expand their employment skills and build a strong foundation for the future.

"We would like to thank the team at RBC for this great journey of innovation and co-creation combining our respective strengths. Our vision focused on employability skills and our expertise in youth content production, both educational and cultural in French, easily and efficiently support RBC's objective: to ensure that young Canadians all have access to the same opportunities when it comes to acquiring today's essential skills for tomorrow's jobs. Designed for young Francophones and Francophiles in Ontario and Canada, Ready for Tomorrow, the platform created by TFO and RBC, focuses on the development of employability skills such as critical thinking, creativity, communication and collaboration, all thanks to content produced by TFO that is recognized for its quality and safety." - Carole Nkoa, Chief Marketing and Communications Officer.

Employability of young Canadians is a significant challenge

Providing better access to programs, resources and professional tools is an important first step, but it's also key to look at the bigger picture and address the specific obstacles that today's workforce in training will need to confront.

Researchers estimate that 42 per cent of the current workforce has skills that are likely to be replaced by automation within the next 10 or 20 years¹. And while only 34 per cent of employers and 44 per cent or youth believe that young people today are ready for the job market².

"As new technologies continue to advance, the next generation of Canadians will need to be more adaptive, creative and collaborative, adding and refining skills to keep pace with a world of work undergoing profound change," said Valerie Chort, vice president, Corporate Citizenship, RBC. "That's what RBC Future Launch is all about, and through our partnership with Groupe Média TFO, we will enable young people to identify, articulate and build their existing skills ? while helping young Canadians develop new ones."

IDÉLLO reaches program's target audience

From October 13 to November 9, 2020, the Ready For Tomorrow contest will invite young Canadians to watch videos in French that will inspire them to prepare for the future of work. For four weeks, they'll be called to answer questions drawn from several series of videos on IDÉLLO's Ready For Tomorrow website. In return, participants will have a chance to win one of four $50 gift cards and the grand prize of a laptop valued at $800.

The #ReadyForTomorrow challenge, from October 19 to October 23, will encourage young people to post a photo on their social media accounts showing their unique way of preparing for the future and add the hashtag #ReadyForTomorrow. The campaign's goal is to jump start important reflections about the future of youth employability.

This initiative will also offer a webinar focused on the interests and concerns of youth aged 15-20. In addition to talking about the skills that are needed for the jobs of tomorrow, we recognize that francophone and francophile youth are preparing for the future in a very turbulent time in our history. To address this, young French-speaking Canadians will join experts in the field to discuss equity in access to the resources needed to succeed and mental wellbeing when faced with uncertainty about the future.

About Groupe Média TFO

Groupe Média TFO is a Franco-Ontarian public media company offering an interconnected discovery experience across its innovative educational, cultural and current content in French. By its educational mandate, on television, on digital platforms and through its initiatives and applications, Groupe Média TFO puts knowledge within arm's reach. At the forefront of digital learning, the company reflects the vitality and diversity of the community it serves and prepares the next generation for the world of tomorrow.

About RBC Future Launch

RBC Future Launch is RBC's largest ever commitment to a social issue. The program provides access to skill development, networking, work experience, and support and services to enhance mental well-being to prepare Canadian young people for the job market of tomorrow. RBC Foundation underwrites the only French-language multimedia network in Canada headquartered outside Quebec. RBC Future Launch represents 10 years of hard work and $500 million of investment.

SOURCE Ontario French Language Educational Communications Authority (TFO)